What is the best action for Silhouette?

More expensive to feed, but worth it.
User avatar
SteveD
AA Poster
AA Poster
Posts: 349
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2015 9:33 pm
Location: Dayton, OH
Contact:

What is the best action for Silhouette?

Post by SteveD »

I am deciding on components for a new High Power Silhouette rifle. The cartridge will be a 6.5 X 47 Lapua that has been shortened 0.100". Bullets for C, P &T will likely be Sierra 107 gr MK and I am leaning toward the Lapua 123 gr Scenar for Rams. That would allow me to use a 9 twist barrel which will be a Krieger, Remington Varmint taper profile finished to 26".

The stock will be a McMillan Anschutz Silhouette as that is one of the very few that I can get in the near future for a left handed shooter and inletted for a right handed action and I prefer the more vertical hand placement.

The action is what I have not yet decided. I had been leaning toward a Stiller Predator but talking to a friend last night has me looking hard at a Bat SV.

So that is the question. What is THE BEST action for HP RS? Not THE BEST VALUE or I have this and it works fine for me. The question is that of the actions that are commercially available today, what it THE BEST action for HP RS?

Extra credit if you identify one that is:

1. Lighter than a 40X, < 31 oz.
2. Superior in one or more ways to a 40X, especially lock time.
3. Takes advantage of the shorter than 308 cartridge I am going to use.

P.S. I am not hating on 40X's. I just recognize that technology has resulted in improvements to what was designed 50 some years ago.

Some of the ones I have looked at/am considering:

1. Stiller Predator
2. Stiller TAC
3. Pierce short action
4. Pierce Titanium short action (17 oz with the lightened bolt, 18.5 oz with the standard bolt)
5. BAT SV (28 oz and shorter than a 40X)
6. March

All are single shot, solid bottom, are available right bolt, right port/eject and take a Remington style trigger.
Image
User avatar
Evelio Mc Donald
Sponsor
Sponsor
Posts: 779
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 9:05 pm
Location: Wimberley, Texas

Re: What is the best action for Silhouette?

Post by Evelio Mc Donald »

Steve
For a 6.5x47 I would recommend the Stiller's Predator, the loading port is much bigger than the one on the Bat SV.
Evelio.
Evelio
User avatar
dustinflint
Expert Master Poster
Expert Master Poster
Posts: 1519
Joined: Tue May 17, 2011 12:13 pm
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Re: What is the best action for Silhouette?

Post by dustinflint »

I don't know that the BEST action is (and I doubt that any of the ones you mentioned are going to make any difference in your score, ever) but I can tell you that a 123gr bullet in a 6.5x47L is not going to do the job on Rams.

Dustin
Jerry G
Uber Master Poster
Uber Master Poster
Posts: 2746
Joined: Wed Apr 12, 2006 2:34 pm
Location: Casa Grande, AZ

Re: What is the best action for Silhouette?

Post by Jerry G »

I agree with both of your statements Dustin. Most anything around 140 grains and traveling at 2600 or a little more seem to do the trick with the 6.5. The 107s are just fine for the other 3.
User avatar
SteveD
AA Poster
AA Poster
Posts: 349
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2015 9:33 pm
Location: Dayton, OH
Contact:

Re: What is the best action for Silhouette?

Post by SteveD »

Before this thread gets sidetracked on a lot of speculation (please note that no data was posted) that have nothing to do with the topic of

"what is the best action for HP Rifle Silhouette"

I have conveniently started another thread'

Handy link to thread. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11107
Image
User avatar
SteveD
AA Poster
AA Poster
Posts: 349
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2015 9:33 pm
Location: Dayton, OH
Contact:

Re: What is the best action for Silhouette?

Post by SteveD »

Evelio Mc Donald wrote:Steve
For a 6.5x47 I would recommend the Stiller's Predator, the loading port is much bigger than the one on the Bat SV.
Evelio.
I had the same concern Evelio. Monday night I had in my hands a BAT SV action rifle and was able to easily drop a 6.5 X 47 (-0.100") Lapua cartridge with a 123 gr Lapua Scenar seated way out into the port with no problem. Removing it without firing required removing the bolt but that doesn't happen very often and there was a handy little button on the side that made it a breeze.

Not necessarily perfection but not a deal killer.

I do like the Stiller Predator (or TAC). Very nice stuff. I got to see both and talk to Jerry at the SHOT Show this year.

The BAT SV is smooooooooooth and very nicely made. That it is a 1.435" shorter than a 40X and 3 oz lighter is a plus.
Image
User avatar
Evelio Mc Donald
Sponsor
Sponsor
Posts: 779
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 9:05 pm
Location: Wimberley, Texas

Re: What is the best action for Silhouette?

Post by Evelio Mc Donald »

Steve
I have 4 BAT SV actions that I use for short range and long range benchrest competition, I use them in 6PPC 6BR 6DASHER and 30BR. As far as I am concerned, they are the best, slick as butter.
My concerned as you stated is the size of the ejection port which will not extract a loaded round without having to remove the bolt. I use the Predator for my 6.5x47, and it works fine. All the center fire Silhouette rifles that I have build, were on Rem. or Predator's actions
As far as barrel twist you need to use an 8 twist rather than a 9 which you will need for 139 Gr. or 142 Gr. bullets for the rams, the 123 are not effective 75% of the time. It is a possibility that the new Hornady"s with the new Red tip may work consistently
Evelio.
Evelio
User avatar
Bigfoot
AA Poster
AA Poster
Posts: 423
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:11 am
Location: Seattle WA

Re: What is the best action for Silhouette?

Post by Bigfoot »

I didn't see Defiance listed on your choices. If you have a chance to handle one of their Rebel or Deviant (light weight) actions I think you'll be impressed. I own 2 and they are decidedly precise pieces of machinery.

Glen used to run Nesika Bay back in the day and they produced some of the best BR actions. He's taken that knowledge to Defiance and aside from being an excellent machinist is a really stand up guy.

For my hunter gun I went with the shortest action and like you reference above I have to pull the bolt if I don't fire a round before the 2.5 mins are up. It's really easy to do so no biggie. The extractor on these is the M16 style and as I was loading my little 260 bobcat pretty hot for a while, really shines at positively extracting even the stickiest load.

I think the part I like best other than the smoothness of this action is the borden bumps that lock down the tolerances as square up the bolt face as you close it to some ridiculous degree (some degree of 0.0001's).

All of these are awesome pieces of machinery but I thought I'd stick up for the team over in Montana as I guess I'm a bit of a fan boy.

Happy shooting!

**== :ymcowboy: **==
Res ipsa loquitur
User avatar
Bigfoot
AA Poster
AA Poster
Posts: 423
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:11 am
Location: Seattle WA

Re: What is the best action for Silhouette?

Post by Bigfoot »

Ah shucks. Why not post a link after all that mush above.

http://defiancemachine.com/deviant-ultralight/
Res ipsa loquitur
User avatar
SteveD
AA Poster
AA Poster
Posts: 349
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2015 9:33 pm
Location: Dayton, OH
Contact:

Re: What is the best action for Silhouette?

Post by SteveD »

Thanks for the input Bigfoot, and for the link.

Nice looking hardware!!!!!

I went to the site. It looks like there is an integral rail on the Deviant. I'm running with a 1.993" scope height on my Smallbore rifle. Getting to that height with an integral rail would be a kludge. :)

What is the weight of the Rebel? I didn't see it posted.
Image
Joaquin B
AA Poster
AA Poster
Posts: 270
Joined: Sat Aug 12, 2006 11:26 am
Location: Oro Valley, Arizona

Re: What is the best action for Silhouette?

Post by Joaquin B »

Save yourself some bucks and buy a Remington short action (You can buy a new .243 Rem 700 at Walmart for under $400). Then have a competent gunsmith "blueprint" it and pin the recoil lug in place (~$150). Add a Jewell trigger ($220) and you now have an action that will be just as good or better than the more expensive ones listed, for less than $800. You can then sell the stock on e-bay.
Joaquin B
User avatar
Bigfoot
AA Poster
AA Poster
Posts: 423
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:11 am
Location: Seattle WA

Re: What is the best action for Silhouette?

Post by Bigfoot »

Hey Steve. Not sure on the weight but I had no issue making weight for my hunter rig with a wooster stock and Leupold 25x scope with marvin rings and a 26" lilja barrel.

Mr Bustamante has a point regarding the cost difference. These puppies go for just over a grand (for the action). The advantage is your smith isn't going to have a lot of bench time trying to blueprint it which can run costs up as well. Doesn't sound like you're working on a budget based on the other options you were considering above.

There is something to be said about getting the good stuff and only crying once. Good luck on your endeavor!

**== :ymcowboy: **==
Res ipsa loquitur
User avatar
SteveD
AA Poster
AA Poster
Posts: 349
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2015 9:33 pm
Location: Dayton, OH
Contact:

Re: What is the best action for Silhouette?

Post by SteveD »

Thanks for the replies.

Bigfoot, this will be a Standard rifle and with the Edge/graphite filled stock and a 26" Krieger Remington Varmint taper barrel, should easily make weight.

It is mostly (or was intended to be) a discussion on "the best Silhouette" action.

If you start will a Rem 700, you can let the best hands in the business spend 100 hours 'fixing' it and it will still not measure up to any action on the list. This is especially true for the later/current production 700's. They are as crooked as a dogs hind leg. :)
Image
Snake
AAA Poster
AAA Poster
Posts: 863
Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 12:37 pm
Location: St. Louis, Missouri

Re: What is the best action for Silhouette?

Post by Snake »

Consider a Stolle "Panda" or Kodiak ( with or without the magazine cut)....the Kodiak has an integral recoil lug ...the Panda uses a Remington type lug Kelbly makes the Stolle
User avatar
SteveD
AA Poster
AA Poster
Posts: 349
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2015 9:33 pm
Location: Dayton, OH
Contact:

Re: What is the best action for Silhouette?

Post by SteveD »

I don't think a consensus has been reached as to the 'best' action for Silhouette but I have ordered a Stiller Predator.

I have the barrel and have a McMillan stock on order. Probably fall before I have it up and running.

I have switched to a 6.5 BR. The guy who conceived the 6.5 x 47 -.100" Lapua convinced me. :)
Image
Post Reply